Meet Julie: 1974

In 1974, after her parents' divorce, Julie moves to another part of San Francisco with her older sister Tracy and her artsy mom, who runs a shop called Gladrags. Though she's close to her sister and to her mother, Julie misses her father, her bunny, and her best friend, Ivy. Shortly after Julie starts fourth grade at Jack London Elementary School, she learns that they don't have a basketball team for girls so she asks if she can join the boys' team. The coach initially refuses her request, but Julie sticks to her guns. She learns about Title IX and turns in a petition with 150 signatures on it. The coach still refuses to hear her out, so she works up the nerve to talk to her principal about the situation and earns a spot on the team. Later books in the series, such as Julie Tells Her Story, include basketball practice and games. The Julie books are part of the American Girls line of books, which offer realistic glimpses into America's past through the eyes of young girls and furthermore encourage the girls of today to reach for the stars. With beautiful illustrations by Robert Hunt and a solid story by Megan McDonald, Meet Julie is a welcome addition to the American Girls library.

In a world of broken-down, drug-addicted teen stars and pop princesses with tarnished crowns, it is refreshing to read a book about a young girl with strong moral fortitude and solid goals. Julie Albright, the latest American Girl, is a ten year old girl living in 1970s San Francisco. In the first book, Meet Julie, we learn that her parents have recently divorced, forcing Julie and her sister to move away from their friends, father, and family home. We also learn that Julie is a quietly determined girl who cares deeply about those near to her and the issues that are dear to her. Why I love Meet Julie: This book tells the story of a compassionate, intelligent young girl living in a time of great change, yet it never preaches or attempts to make the reader feel guilty. I love that American Girl seems to be committed to addressing the concerns of young women living in the world today by giving them identifiable characters who are faced with similar challenges. It's not enough to tell a young girl that she should have goals and stay out of trouble. I love that American Girl, with these Julie books, actually shows girls how they can stay out of trouble by caring about something greater than themselves. In a world of sad, broken-down Britney's and troubled, unlovely Lyndsey's, it's nice to have a Julie to introduce my daughter to!

Ivy does count as an Asian character. She is just as important as Julie. They are best friends, and they mean the world to each other. Ivy is more than a best friend. She's like a sister. :)

American Girls gets into their most contemporary times ever with the introduction of Julie Albright, a young girl growing up in 1974 San Francisco. It's an exciting time to be in America--and several things are happening in Julie's own life. Her parents have obtained a divorce under recently enacted no-fault divorce laws. Julie and her siblings moved with their mom to an apartment above her shop. However, Julie still gets to see her dad when he is not flying around as a pilot. I am assuming Julie's father kept the house to create a 'homey' atmosphere when the kids come to visit him because otherwise a frequently gone pilot keeping a place that big does not make plot sense. Like Mom, Dad is presented as genuinely loving and open minded. His change in relationship with Julie's mom did not mean that he stopped loving the kids. On the other hand, I can also see where revisiting an old house could be painful for a child who had to uproot everything in her life, regardless of how nice and hip the visited parent thinks they are now being to the visiting kid. Especially with his salary, he could have gotten a new place to start over. However, this same storyline DOES earn it's kudos for showing that neither of Julie's parents drug the kids through a nasty custody hearing and/or were not trying to 'play sides' now by saying bad things about the other. Both examples are important for kids who are curious about the outcome of divorce--or more importantly, whose own families personally are undergoing it. Aside from the dated cultural references, the book described the very positive relationship I continued having with both my parents during and after their own divorce. It will reassure girls--and boys--that it wasn't their fault.

The year is 1974. Nine-year-old Julie Albright is about to embark on fourth grade; and, while she should be excited for the big day, she's anything but. Back at Sierra Vista Elementary School, Julie would be entering Mr. Nader's fourth grade class with her best friend, Ivy Ling. Everyone loved Mr. Nader, because he allowed his students to hatch butterflies right in class; and Julie's friendship with Ivy meant the world to her. But things had changed practically overnight. Suddenly, Julie's parents were divorced, and Julie was forced to move to an apartment above her mother's groovy shop, Gladrags, with her fifteen-year-old sister, Tracy. Worse than that, Julie was forced to leave her beloved bunny, Nutmeg, at her father's place, and was only permitted to see her father - a pilot - every other weekend. Luckily, she wasn't too far from her old home. Unfortunately, she was just far enough away to have to attend a new school in San Francisco - Jack London Elementary. From day one, it was evident that Jack London Elementary left much to be desired. Julie's new teacher, Ms. Hunter, was as strict as they come, and wouldn't allow anyone in class to talk. And Principal Sanchez had a habit of walking through the halls handing out demerits to anyone who broke even the tiniest school rule. Julie just knows that she won't fit in with her classmates. And, she seems to be correct. The Water Fountain Girls - Amanda, Alison, and Angela - already know that Julie's parents are divorced, and seem to look for any excuse to throw that bit of information in her face; and the only person who will talk to her is a boy named T.J. But when Julie learns that Jack London Elementary has its very own basketball team, she couldn't be more excited. Julie has been shooting hoops with her father in the driveway since she was a tiny tot, and can't wait to sign-up. But when nasty Coach Manley proclaims that there's no space for girls on a boys basketball team, Julie decides to take matters into her own hands to show the world that girls are just as good as boys - if only they're given a chance to prove their worth! I have been following the AMERICAN GIRLS series for over a decade, and with each new release, I find myself falling more and more in love with the storylines, plots, and characters. MEET JULIE is no exception. Megan McDonald has done a marvelous job of bringing a girl from the seventies to life. Incorporating pop culture - such as The Beatles, trolls, pet rocks, mood rings, lava lamps, and apple-seed bracelets - into the mix, McDonald brings a sense of nostalgia to the story that makes the characters appear even more interesting. Julie is a bright, friendly new addition to the AMERICAN GIRLS series. Her determination to prove the world wrong regarding various issues plaguing the country, and her quick-thinking make her an appealing character. Her relationship with her best friend, Ivy, proves to be tumultuous due to the newfound distance between the two of them. Howeve